Food package



06f- 22 1963 o. E. SEIFERTH ErAL 3,108,005

FOOD PACKAGE Filed July 1'7, 1961 ZTZZEJTZES OSCAR E SEIFERTH GLENN M. AUSTIN mm/ZMZMCML United States Patent O "ice dtl F09@ PACKAGE @scar E. Seiferth and Glenn M. Austin, Madison, Wis., assignors to @scar Mayer & Cm, Inc., thieago, Iii., a corporation of Iliinois Filed July 17, i961, Ser. No. 124,65*? Qlaims. (Si. Q-j) This invention relates to packaging and is more particularly concerned with improvements in a package which is especially suitable for enclosing foods and similar products so that they can be displayed in a sanitary and attractive manner and Which will preserve the contents while stored preparatory to its use.

lt is a general object of the invention to provide a package which is particularly adapted for food products, which affords maximum protection to the contents while permitting display of the same in an attractive and appealing manner, which will preserve the product against spoilage for a substantial period, which perm-its the package to be opened and the contents removed as a solid block and which is of such a nature that it Imay be readily produced with modern high speed production machinery.

Packages have heretofore been made with a can or pan-like body `and a metal closure lid having its marginal edges connected to the edges of the open top of the body by a double or rolled seam and with portions of the center panel of the metal lid having been removed so that a transparent sheet of plastic material may cover the opening to -give Visibility to the top surface of the contents of the package. Ordinarily, in fabricating packages of this general type the closure lid -is provided with `a countersunk center panel and a portion only of the center panel is removed so that the seaming chuck may seat upon the remaining marginal flange portion which projects inwardly from the countersunk wall so as to hold the assembled body and closure stationary during the rolling of the seam. The transparent opening provided in this manner is smaller than the inside dimension of the container body which not only cuts down the visible area of the enclosed product but also makes it impossible to remove the contents lof the package through this restricted opening in a solid block. `It is `an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a package in which the body is in the form of a can or pan and the metal closure lid is constructed so -that the center panel may be cut out to provide an opening which will permit the removal of the entire contents of the body in a solid block and which will also permit a double seam to be formed between lthe margins of the closure and the body when the closure is applied thereto.

It is a more specitic object of the invention to provide a package for -food or similar products which is characterized by ya container adapted to be preformed of relatively light, rigid or partially rigid material, for example, aluminum sheeting, the mouth of the container having a seaming flange with the inner portion thereof tapered outwardly and upwardly, and a metal closure member having a seam forming llange and a cone-shaped inner wall providing an opening of substantially the same dimension as the cross sectional dimension of the body of the container whereby the closure member may be attached to the seaming ilange of the container with a transparent sheet covering the opening and the latter may be removed to permit the contents to be emptied in a solid block through the opening.

These and -other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from `a consideration of the package and the method of forming the same which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a comple-ted packarcanes Fatented Get. 22, 1963 age which embodies therein the principal features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 2--2 of FIGURE l to an enlarged scale;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded sectional view showing the packaging elements arranged in the order in which they are assembled;

FIGURE 4 is Aa fragmentary cross section, to an enlarged scale, with the package elements assembled in proper relationship for forming the crimp seam at the top margin of the package, and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary section similar to FIGURE 4 with the package elements clamped in the inal position in which the crimp seam is completed.

The package which is illustrated in FIGURES l and 2 of the drawings comprises a quantity of a product 10 which may be a food, such as meat loaf, scrapple, cheese or the like, supported in `a container ll Iwhich is in the form of a can body or tray. The container l1 is formed of a relatively light rigid or semi-rigid material such as aluminum foil or sheeting, `for example, which is selfsupporting in empty condition as yshown in FIGURE 3. It comprises the bottom wall l2. and a peripheral wall 13 which terminates at its top edge in an outwardly and upwardly directed or tapered flange formation or portion lt- `and a horizontally disposed, outwardly directed peripheral seaming flange portion l5. The seaming tiange l5 is coiled into a tight seam orming relation with a cooperating outwardly extending seaming ange formation 16 on a seam forming ring which constitutes `a closure member i7. The seaming ring or closure member 17 has an inner downwardly inclined wall formation or portion 18 which is adapted to be seated on the tapered inner flange portion 14 of the container ll and an outer edge portion T19 of channel-like cross section. A sheet of transparent lm material 2b is disposed between the container 11 and the closure or seam forming ring 17 so as to cover the open top of the container l1, with the mar- `ginal portions 2l of the cover sheet 2t) being reversely coiled about the ends of the seam forming ilange formations lS and lo so that it is tightly clamped between the same when the seaming operation is completed.

The package as illustrated is especially adapted for use in the marketing of food products but may be used for other products of a similar nature where it is desirable that the product be enclosed in a hermetically sealed package formed of materials which are impervious to the transmission of moisture, iavor and the like and which permit at least a portion of the product to be viewed. The package may be used for any product for which it is desirable to provide airtight protection so as to preserve the product from spoilage or deterioration for a substantial period of time. Also, it is particularly suitable for packaging an uncooked food product which it may be convenient or desirable to prepare or process while it is in the package. For such a product the consumer may cook the product immediately without removing it from the package or the package may be stored for a period of time and then subjected to thercooking process. Also, the package is particularly adapted for use with a cooked or partially cooked food product which it may be desirable to heat or complete the cooking thereof while it is in the package. Such a product, for example, as a meat loaf which can be removed from the package when desired in a block by merely running a knife around the bottom edge of the flange tti so as to cut the film 2h as indicated at 2l in FIGURE 2. The container Il may be preformed from various materials, depending uponthe nature of the product which is to be packaged. Preferably, the container body lll is fabricated from a relatively thin or light gauge aluminum so as to enable it to be economically manufactured with QJ little material and a minimum of processing. The container ll may, however, be formed of other materials such as tinplatc.

The sealing ring l is fabricated of a material of such a nature that it will permit a crimp seam to be formed, with the peripheral edge portion thereof which forms the earning lange le being coiled during the seaming operation. Preferably, it is preformed or preshaped, from a relatively light gauge steel or aluminum sheet material. As illustrated, the sealing ring 17 has its center portion removed so as to permit the contents of the package to be observed through the transparent film 2@ which cooperates with the ring l' in forming the cover for the open top of the container ll. The removal of the center portion leaves the sealing ring 17, as initially formed, with a relatively narrow inner flange l5 which is tapered inwardly and downwardly from the inner edge of the top llange forming portion lo, the latter constituting the upper side of the outwardly extending inverted channelshaped sealing ange formation which has its outer edge or side i9 curved outwardly and then inwardly as shown in FEGURES 3 and 4.

The transparent sheet 2o is preferably a plastic lilm material having low gas transmission, such as Mylar (an oriented linear polyester resin). The cover sheet 2li may, however, be formed of other plastics having similar characteristics such as Saran (a vinylidene chloride polymer), vinyl, polyethylene and cellulose acetate, for example. While the cover sheet 2li is preferably thin and liexible, it may be of a semi-rigid nature. Any combination of plastics referred to may be employed as a covering sheet, the selection of the same being dependent upon the character of the product which is to be enclosed in the package.

In forming the package, the container ll is lled with a predetermined quantity of the product it). rl`he cover sheet 2li and the sealing ring 1'." are assembled with the lled container as shown in FIGURE 4. The assembly is placed in a searning head which has a platen 22 adapted to seat within the closure member i7 so as to provide a mandrel against which the seam is rolled by the cooperating seaming rollers 23. The rollers 23 include a knife-like trimming edge 2d which serves to remove the excess film material at the edges of the closure sheet 2S. The assembly may, of course, be supported in the seaming head in a suitable form or pocket and the seaming head may be in a vacuum chamber.

While specific materials and particular details of construction have been referred to in describing the form of the package illustrated, it will be understood that other materials and different structural details may be employed within the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

l. A food package comprising a container body of relatively rigid metal sheet material in the form of a cylindrical tube having a product receiving mouth at one end an outwardly extending peripheral ange formation, said tube being filled with a food product which is characterized by being in a solid mass and said container body having an apertured member closing the mouth thereof, which mouth closing member is formed of relatively rigid metal sheet material, said mouth closing member being in the form of a ring with a narrow inner section of truncated cone shape, the inner edge of said inner section defining an aperture in said member having a diameter corresponding approximately to the inner diameter of the container body and said mouth closing member having an outer flange formation of inwardly facing channel-like cross section which is engaged in tightly coiled double seam forming relation with the ange formation at the mouth of the container body, the inner edge of said closure member being disposed approximately in the plane of the adjoining portions of the side walls of the container body, and a sheet of transparent plastic hlm material covering the aperture in the closure member ight scali, said body having a mouth with a relatively ow peripheral wall section adjacent the marginal edges thereof which is tapered upwardly and outwardly, a relatively rigid metal closure member having its marcdgcs connected to the marginal edges of the mouth of said con ainer body by a rolled seam, said closure meml.- r ha a center opening of a size corresponding approximately to the cross sectional area of the container bo 'y at the innermost edge of the tapered wall section and a sheet of transparent film material interposed between closure member and the container body with its margins extending in ed relation into said rolled seam whereby said iiim material may be cut along the edge dei'ining the center opening in the closure member to permit removal of the product from the container body in a solid block.

3. A package comprising a container body forming member having a food product therein and a closure for said body forming member, said body forming member being formed of relatively thin, sheet material having substantial rigidity and sufficient pliability for its margins to be formed into a tightly coiled seam, said body having a narrow peripheral wall section at the mouth thereof which tapers upwardly and outwardly and terminates at a seam forming edge flange, said closure comprising a ring member for. red of relatively thin metal with a narrow inner section having a taper corresponding to the taper of said narrow wall section and an outer reversely bent seam forming edge flange, said closure inner section defining an opening which is the same shape and slightly larger than the maximum cross sectional area of said body forming member in a transverse plane at the inner edge of the tapered wall section, and a sheet of transparent iilrn matcrial covering the opening in said ring member, the seam forming edge of said closure member and the edge 0f said body forming member at the mouth thereof being coiled into seam formation with the margins of said sheet being caught in the seam, whereby said iilm material may be severed by cutting along the inner edge of the closure inner section to provide an opening through which the product may be removed from the body forming member in a solid block.

4. A package comprising a quantity of a food product enclosed in a container of substantially rigid sheet metal material having a cylindrical body portion and a mouth with a relatively narrow peripheral wall section adjacent the edge thereof which is tapered upwardly and outwardly, a closure member of substantially rigid metal sheet material having its marginal edges connected to the outermost edge of the mouth of said container body portion by a rolled seam, said closure member having a wall section with a taper corresponding to the tapered wall section of the container body portion and a center onening of a size which is no smaller than tlie cross sectional area of the container body portion at the innermost edge the tapered wall section, said closure opening being aligned with the mouth of said body portion, and a sheet of transparent plastic film material covering said center opening with its margins tightly clamped between the seam forming portions of the container body portion and the closure member.

5. A package comprising a container body forming cylindrical member, a food product in the body forming member and a closure for said body forming member, said body forming member being formed of relatively thin, substantially rigid metal sheet material and having a narrow peripheral Wall section at the mouth thereof which tapers upwardly and outwardly and terminates at a seam forming Flange, said closure comprising a substantially rigid ring member formed of relatively thin sheet metal with an inner lange having `a taper corresponding to the taper of said narrow Wall section and an outer reversely bent Seam forming ilange, said closure inner ange dening an opening which is aligned with the mouth or" said body forming member and which has a diameter no less than the diameter of said body forming member below the tapered wall section, and a sheet of transparent plastic lm material covering the opening in said ring member,

the seam forming flanges of said closure member and of the body `forming member being coiled into tight seam formation with the margins of said sheet being trapped in the seam.

References tCited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A FOOD PACKAGE COMPRISING A CONTAINER BODY OF RELATIVELY RIGID METAL SHEET MATERIAL IN THE FORM OF A CYLINDRICAL UBE HAVING A PRODUCT RECEIVING MOUTH AT ONE END AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING PERIPHERAL FLANGE FORMATION, SAID TUBE BEING FILLED WITH A FOOD PRODUCT WHICH IS CHARACTERIZED BY BEING IN A SOLID MASS AND SAID CONTAINER BODY HAVING AN APERTURED MEMBER CLOSING THE MOUTH THEREOF, WHICH MOUTH CLOSING MEMBER IS FORMED OF RELATIVELY RIGID METAL SHEET MATERIAL, SAID MOUTH CLOSING MEMBER BEING IN THE FORM OF A RING WITH A NARROW INNER SECTION OF TRUNCATED CONE SHAPE, THE INNER EDGE OF SAID INNER SECTION DEFINING AN APERTURE IN SAID MEMBER HAVING A DIAMETER CORRESPONDING APPROXIMATELY TO THE INNER DIAMETER OF THE CONTAINER BODY AND SAID MOUTH CLOSING MEMBER HAVING AN OUTER FLANGE FORMATION OF INWARDLY FACING CHANNEL-LIKE CROSS SECTION WHIHC IS ENGAGED IN TIGHTLY COILED DOUBLE SEAM FORMING RELATION WITHT HE FLANGE FORMATION AT THE MOUTH OF THE CONTAINER BODY, THE INNER EDGE OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBER BEING DISPOSED APPROXIMATELY IN THE PLANE OF THE ADJOINING PORTIONS OF THE SIDE WALLS OF THE CONTAINER BODY, AND A SHEET OF TRANSPARENT PLASTIC FILM MATERIAL COVERING THE APERTUREE IN THE CLOSURE MEMBER WITH ITS MARGINS TIGHTLY GRIPPED BETWEEN SAID FLANGE FORMATIONS, WHEREBY WHEN SAID FILM MATERIAL IS SEVERED BY CUTTING THE SAME ALONG THE INNER EDGE OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBER THE CONTENTS OF THE CONTAINER MAY BE REMOVED IN A SOLID BLOCK. 